The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigations into individuals arrested for alleged vote-buying during last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State.
According to the anti-graft agency, the suspects, who were apprehended in Njikoka, Oyi, and Dunukofia Local Government Areas, have been transferred from Anambra to Enugu State for further investigation.
Those arrested include Emeka Ilokasia, detained in Ward 2, Njikoka LGA; Nwachukwu Loretta, arrested in Ward 2 (008), Awkuzu, Oyi LGA; and Emuka Chuwudi, picked up at Umunachi Village, Dunukofia LGA.
Responding to rumours that the suspects had been released, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, clarified that they were temporarily handed over to the police because the agency’s Anambra office currently lacks a holding facility.
“When they were arrested, they were handed over to the police because our Anambra office does not yet have a holding facility. The suspects have now been moved to Enugu. They are still in our custody, and investigations are ongoing,” Oyewale said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier declared Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the November 8, 2025, governorship election. Soludo secured 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate, Sir Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.
After the election, several allegations of vote-buying emerged. The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Chioma Ifemeludike, claimed that some voters sold their ballots for between ₦3,000 and ₦5,000 under the supervision of unidentified agents. Similarly, APC candidate Ukachukwu accused certain voters of trading their votes and alleged intimidation of his party’s polling agents.
However, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, Queen Agwu, dismissed the allegations as unverified and urged anyone with credible evidence to present it to the appropriate authorities.
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